Labour of Love (note the English spelling)

Spent Saturday workin on the old SAAB out at my parental units’ place. It hasn’t been started in about a year and a half so I had my work cut out for me. Y’know, for a car that is neither fast, nor really particularly good-handling, nor exotic, that car just pushes all the right buttons for me. It’s just that inate quirkyness that all SAABs have. Anywho, here’s a list of what got accomplished:

• Changed battery
• Changed spark plugs (first time I’ve ever gapped spark plugs, kinda fun)
• Changed plug wires
• Changed oil and oil filter (spent about a half our trying to get the drain plug out)
• Changed air filter
• Replaced the interior AC switch (this has been a big annoyance from day one)
• Finally, replaced these little handles on the seats that let you tilt the seats forward

Also, much props out to my pops for helping me out.

Cool Car, Cooler Commercial

I’m a fan of Volkswagen products. VW, Audi, Seat, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, ALL OF THEM. In fact, I’ve even owned 2. I think VW is the perfect example of what automotive advertising and branding can accomplish. It definitely creates a brand IDENTITY. Owners feel an emotional bond with their vehicles, even if it breaks down a lot and the windows don’t roll up and your coilpacks are going out left and right. Anyways, the latest example is this badass new commercial for the new Audi A6. See if you can catch all the M.C. Escher references.

New A6 Commercial

Spyshot

So, I found this on my way home today. Apparently it’s the new big Mercedes SUV!

Just kidding of course. For those not in the know, this is an abomination of nature. Somebody grafted an old E-class front end onto a Ford Expedition. ewww.

jag u are

Thanks to Obin over on The Car Lounge for finding this one. It’s a video of a lap around the Nurburgring 24hr race in Germany. You’re onboard the Jaguar DTM car with a screaming V8 in your ear tearing up the Nordschleife and more. Enjoy.

Jaguar Nurburgring 24hr – 34MB – 10 min 45 sec long (Right click, save target as)

More Top Gear Vids

This should be a sign for BBC America to bring Top Gear over to the U.S.. It’s the best show *not* on TV. Here’s why:

Top Gear tests the new Porsche Carrera GT – Video (43MB wmv)

I’m not an addict baby, that’s a lie.

Seriously. I need to stop downloading these Lotus Elise videos. Someday my Miata will grow up to be a badass British roadster.

New Video of Elise storming around a track keeping up with and sometimes passing a Ferrari F40. Sweet.

Exige vs. Apache

I’m a big fan of the BBC show “Top Gear”. One of their latest episodes featured the new Lotus Exige, the hardtop Elise if you will. They decided to test it in a very interesting way, pitting it against an Apache attack helicopter. See the videos below:

Exige vs. Apache (45 MB)
Stig takes the Exige around the course (9 MB)